North Korea fired a “new type” of ballistic missile on Thursday, which may have been a solid-fuel rocket, a major technological and strategic advancement for Pyongyang’s weapon Read More
programme, according to South Korea’s military. The missile launch briefly raised an alert in Japan’s Hokkaido island before authorities clarified that the missile had not hit their territory. All previous intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) launched by North Korea have been liquid-fuelled. Solid fuel missiles, which Pyongyang has long been seeking to develop, show better stability and are faster to prepare for launch than liquid-fuel missiles, making detection and destruction by US forces more difficult. The details of the launch are currently being analysed by South Korea.
The missile was launched at 7:23 am (22:23 GMT) and “followed a lofted trajectory and ‘travelled’ 1000 km [621 miles] before landing in the East Sea”, the South Korean military said. The launch has been denounced as a “brazen violation” of several United Nations Security Council resolutions by the United States’ National Security Council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson. She added that the US will “take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American territory and allies of the Republic of Korea and Japan.”
Analysts have noted the launch is the first since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for an increase in his country’s deterrent capabilities to counter “the escalating manoeuvres of the American imperialists and the traitors, the South Korean puppets, to provoke a war of aggression” on Monday. Pyongyang has conducted multiple weapons tests in recent months, increasing tensions with Seoul and Washington, who have, in turn, reinforced their military cooperation and conducted joint exercises in the region. Since 23 March, North Korea has announced three tests of a nuclear-capable “attack submarine drone” capable of producing a “large-scale tsunami”.
Last year, the country declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power, ruling out any negotiation on its denuclearisation. In March, Kim Jong-un ordered the country’s troops to intensify their exercises for a “real war”. In response, Washington and Seoul conducted new joint military manoeuvres, involving US stealth aircraft. Pyongyang sees these exercises as rehearsals for the invasion of its territory and on Tuesday branded them “hysterical” and “simulating a total war against North Korea”. The South Korean government has termed North Korea “irresponsible” after Pyongyang cut communications with Seoul last week. The North and South Korean militaries communicate twice daily via a specific line, but Pyongyang has not responded to calls since 7 April, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry.